Cinematographic apparatus



Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,745.

- S. S. JAMES. v I CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

FILED APR. 22. 1922- 3 SHEETS-SHEET l- Feb. 6,1923. 1,444,745. S. 8. JAMES.

CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

FILED APR. 22nl-92 2- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v SUZaxqSazzdeZ/Mea aw; Y

Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,745.

S. 8. JAMES.

CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

FILED APR. 22. 1922. s SHEETS-SHEET a.

Patent Feb, 19 23."

rA'rsn*oF Icn] STEPHEN, SAMUEL JAMES, or Lennon, nnenann ,crnnm'aroenarmo APPARAT S.

Appliqflion filed April 22,1922. sernuno. 556,101.

. I To allnihcm concern;

'13s it known that I, .sTE-PHEN SAMUEL J MES, 'a subject (of the *King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented. new" and useful Impriivements Relatin to Cinematographic Apparatus iiich I have filed-an application in Great Brita'in No. 3,798 dated February 1,

1 921), of'which the following is a specificatio. 1 r

This invention relates to cinematographic apparatusof the kind, wherein an endless film isused-yvh-ich can 'be-p assed continuously-through-theopticalsystem of the lantern and thus." shown any desired number of times without-requiring unwinding and rewinding, the tartar-th film not in en-.

gagement with'theprojectionapparatus being coiledlin a rollhaving its axis vertical on a disc orftable which rotates'about a verticalaxis,";, .fl q 3 r Accordin' jitofmyinvention," the film as it comes 'ofl'flroni'the optical system is conducted over-l roller or other suitable guides j to.-the centre of acoil. arrangedwith its axis vertical and resting," on a-rota disc or table,"which' turns; about a vertical axis and which has a conical or convex upper surface in which rad al rollers may be advantageouslymounted to support the film with 'a minimum amount of: friction. The upper rounded by a guard or fence against which surface. of the rotary discor table is surthe outermostconvolution of the coiledfilm rests,-the rotation of the disc f-"orz-table be- [.in'g the {direction to cause the coiled film to .open rout- Lor crowd its convolutions together towards-the outermost convolutionand thusleave 'a' space in the centre to facilitate the introductio-n'into the, centre of the coil of the incomingjpa-rt of the film. This fence by means of direction of rotation-is that. which causes the incoming part of the film to be drawn i into the coil on the table at its open centre as above mentioned. The part of the film leading on to the optical system, (i.- e., the outermost convolution) is conducted away from the coil over the peripheralguard or guide rollers or other suitable guides.

The-peripheral guard or. fence-v may advan eously consist of a stationary ring or cylinder having onits inner surface one or more grooves orchannels withinwardly curved edges, [so as to form ball races and in each of such races there is arranged a having an row of balls ofsuch size as to project beyond the inner surface of the guard or latter and theoutermost convolution of the film.- The ball races may-be formed of bent tubes slotted around their'internal' periphery to allow the balls to project. 01 if desired the guard or fence may consist of a-= frame annular seriesof guide rollers on its inner surface. 4

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my saidinvention may be. conveniently and advantageously carried into 70.

fence and to reduce the friction between the D, D to anfintermediate shaft E, which is driven by chain and sprocket gearing F ,f

G, H from the driving shaft J of the cinematograph. These shafts ma 'moreover be arranglegd to runon ball bearings; On the shaft v conical table L. which, is provided on its upper surfacewith a series of radial anti-- frictionrollers M, M adapted tovturn freely between centreson said table;

- On the upper endof the shaft B, there is fitted a sleeve N which is capable of bethere is fixed a hub" K bearing a ing slid off this shaft when desired and isprovided at itslower end with a slot adapted to fit over a transverse pin 0 in the shaft B, so as to provide a driving connection'bea tween said, shaft andsleeve. In the upper part of this sleeve there slidesa radialarm P which is of square] or other suitable cross: I section and'is' drawn inwards b'yl'means of springs Q, Q attached at their outer ends to hooks on the arm and at their inner ends tO'llQQkS' on the sleeve N. The lower part ofthessleeveis enclosed by a dome R fixed" centrally on the table L. The outer part of the radial arm P bears an'ex tension S, a

which has a roller T that is rotatabl mountQ ed on its lower part and'is 'adapte to press against the innermost convolution of the roll of film V restin on the table L. The extension; S is pre erably fitted "frictiontight on the arm so as to permit of its mit of the roller T passing the part of the filmcoming in tothe interior of the roll from the cinematograph, the arm P is pro- Vided with an upstanding pin or projection W, which bears against the peripheral surface of a cam Y formed with an inwardly curved part Y, into which the pin W is drawn by the springs Q, Q whenthe position of the iIlCOIIliIlg part of the film V is approached. The cam Y is fixed on an arm Z which is pivotally connected at Z, on the base A and is capable of being sprung in a vertical direction so-as to permit of a hole therein being brought into and out of engagement with the upper end N of the sleeve N. By this means the cam Y can be readily removed and swung to one side to permit removal of the sleeve and attached parts. The film passes down from the cinematograph along a guide 1 of U-shaped cross section, in order to form the innermost convolution of the roll.

The outermost convolution of the roll is retained in position on the rollers M, M by means of an annular guardconsisting of a tube 2 secured to the base A and having a circumferential slot 3 in its inner surface, through which extend balls 4, ,4 against which the said outermost convolution of the film rests.

The film V returns to the cinematograph over guide rollers 5, 5 mounted on the base A and another 6 adjustably mounted on the cinematograph frame.

The rate at which the film is withdrawn from the roll on the rotary table is controlled by a spring brake 7 consisting of two flat springs pressing towards each other and having leather faces for bearing on the opposite sides of the film. The pressure can be varied e. g., by means of a set screw in one spring bearing against the inner side of the other spring. The position of the brake vertically can be adjusted by sliding it along its supporting post 8 mounted on the base A. I

In operation, the film V passes down from the cinematographmechanism along the U- shaped guide 1v to form the innermost conf volutionf'of the roll on the rotary table L which is rotated in the direction of the forward feed of the film on such table. The roll, by reason of such rotation and of the conical form of the table, spreads out so that its outermost convolution rests-against the balls 4, 4 in the guard 2, such outermost convolutionextending through the brake 7 on its way to one roller 5 whereby it is guided out of the guard 2. From this roller it passes over the other roller 5 and the roller 6 to pass into the cinemato-graph for projection. The speed of the rotary table L and the degree' of pressure exerted by the brake 7 are adjusted as required to produce a regular feeding of the film. In some cases the roller T, that rotateswiththe table L and has a smoothing action on the innermost convoluf tion of the film, can be dispensed with.

What I claim is 1. A film-winding mechanism for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a

table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwardly towards its central part, means for rotating such table, an annular guard arranged around said table and mounted on said frame, and meansrfor conducting the mcoming part of i table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwardly towards its central part, means for reducing friction between said table and the edge of the film resting thereon, means for rotating such table, and an annular guard arranged "around said table and mounted onsaid frame.

3. A film winding mechanism for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis on said frame, ,a series of radial rollers spaced around "said table and lying in a conical surface, means for rotating said table, and an annular guard arranged around said table and mounted on said frame.

4:. A film winding mechanism for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwardly towards the'central part, means for reducing friction between said table and the edge of the film resting thereon, means for rotating said table, an annular guard arranged around said table and mounted on said frame, and means for reducing the friction between the film and such guard.

cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a

table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwardly towards the central part, means for reducing friction between said table and the edge of the film resting thereon, means for rotating said table, an annular guard arranged around said table and mounted on said frame, said guard being provided in its inner surface with a channel having inwardly extending edges, and balls arranged in said channel and projecting beyond the surface of said guard.

6. A film winding mechanism .for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwards towards the central part, means for reducing friction between said table and the edge of the film resting thereon, means for rotating said table, an annular guard arranged around said table and mounted on said frame, means for reducing the friction between the film and said guard, and means for conducting the incoming part of the film to the interior of the roll on the table and for conducting the outgoing part of the film away from the exterior of the roll.

7. A film windingmechanism for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis and having itssurface extending upwards towards the central part, means for rotating said table, an annular guard arranged around said table, an arm mounted on and rotatable with said table, a roller rotatably mounted on said arm and adapted to roll on the innermost convolution of the film, means for pressing said roller against the film, andv means for withdrawing said roller from the film whenthe roller approaches the incoming part of the film.

'8."A film. winding mechanism for endless cinematograph. films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis and having its surface extending upwards towards the central part, means for rotating said table, an annular guard arranged around said table, an arm mounted to slide radially in a guide on said table, a spring acting on said arm to draw it radially inwards, a roller rotatably mounted on said arm, and a cam mounted on said frame and engaging said arm so as to allow it to move periodically inwards.

9. A film winding mechanism for endless cinematograph films, comprising a frame, a table rotatable about a vertical axis 011 said frame, and having its surface extending upwards towards the central part, means for rotating said table, means for reducing the friction between said table and the edge of the film resting thereon, an annular guard arranged around said table, means for reducing friction between said guard and the outermost convolution of the film, and a brake having surfaces for pressing against opposite sides of an outer convolution of the film.

STEPHEN SAMUEL JAMES.

Witnesses V CONRAD ARNOLD, WALTER ROBINSON. 

